


The Adventure of the Merry Men

by MrProphet



Category: Robin Hood (Traditional), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 15:30:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10699878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrProphet/pseuds/MrProphet





	The Adventure of the Merry Men

“A perplexing conundrum indeed, my Lord Fitzgregory.” My friend stood at the heart of the vault and turned a slow circle on his heel. “How could any man, even this legendary outlaw of yours, enter your vault undetected and remove your treasure without so much as opening a door.”

“It is impossible!” Sheriff Tobias Fitzgregory spluttered.

“And therefore, not what happened.” Holmes's eyes flashed left and right. “When we discount the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the solution. It  _is_  possible for someone to enter the vault without opening the door, but not to remove the treasure. Therefore, the door  _was_  opened. It is impossible to force the lock or break down the door without causing damage and it would anyway be impossible to reseal the door afterwards, therefore the door was not forced. We must therefore accept that the thief had a key.”

“Impossible!” Gilles de le Strade de Gisbourne spat. “Only the Sheriff and I have keys to the vault.”

“Indeed? And they never leave your person? None of your servants could gain access to them?”

“No-one.”

“Well, then that leaves only one possibility. Either you or the Sheriff stole the treasure, and as the treasure belongs to the Sheriff...”

“You lie...!” Gisbourne half-drew his sword, but I stepped forward with my trusty staff at the ready.

“Do not presume to threaten me, Saxon!” Gisbourne spat.

“This all makes sense,” Fitzgregory muttered. “Guards!”

“You can't believe this!” Gisbourne insisted. “You would arrest me on the word of a Saxon and a Norseman?”

“Gisbourne,” Fitzgerald drawled, “it's only your favour at court that's kept me from arresting you these last two years. Take him away and search his room! Mr Holmes, your fee will be paid at once.”

*

Holmes and I sauntered out into the courtyard. We climbed onto the cart and drove slowly out of the gate of Nottingham castle. I turned and stowed the Sheriff's fee beneath the straw.

“What I don't understand, Holmes, is why didn't we didn't keep the rest of the treasure.”

“Because it has to be found in Gisbourne's rooms,” Holmes replied.

“Of course. So that the Sheriff continues to believe.”

Holmes smiled, his eyes – the hooded eyes that gave him his other name – watching the road. “Elementary, my dear John.”


End file.
